The Palau de les Arts will premiere Madama Butterfly, one of Puccini's most popular operas, on April 8th.

01.04.2008

A highly successful production from La Scala in Milan arrives at the Valencia Coliseum. Lorin Maazel will conduct, and the renowned Keita Asari will direct.

Elena Nebera (in the performances on April 8, 11, and 14) and Hui He (April 17, 20, and 25) will both portray Madama Butterfly, while Massimiliano Pisapia will play Pinkerton. Marina Rodríguez-Cusì, from Valencia, returns to the opera house to play Suzuki, and Sandra Ferrández, also from Valencia, will play Kate, Pinkerton's American wife. The cast is rounded out in the principal roles by Vasili Gerello (Sharpless), Emilio Sánchez (Goro), Lluís Martínez (Prince Yamadori), and Alfredo Zanazzo (Uncle Bonzo).

Madama Butterfly, whose libretto is by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica based on the play of the same name by David Belasco, had not been performed in Valencia since January 2000 when it was included in the Puccini Festival that the Palau de la Música dedicated to the Italian composer

The musical director of the Palau de les Arts, Lorin Maazel, has pointed out that the stage director, Keita Asari, “has had great success in Milan, creating a Japanese atmosphere; the characters are very well characterized, there is nothing vulgar” and added that “it is a set design of remarkable quality; I am looking forward to the premiere of Madama Butterfly.”

The opera will be performed at the Palau de les Arts on April 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, and 25. The April 17 performance will be conducted by Kynan Johns, and the remaining performances by Lorin Maazel.

Parallel activities

To coincide with the performances of Madama Butterfly, the Palau de les Arts has programmed different activities in the Aula Magistral of the coliseum with free admission for the public

Thus, music critic Rosa Solà will give the lecture "Let's Talk About Opera: Madama Butterfly" on April 8 at 6:30 p.m., and fellow critic Jaume Radigales will take over on April 16 at 6:30 p.m. with the Tribute Lecture, "When the Innocence of the Geisha Illuminated Victoria de los Ángeles."

The parallel activities surrounding this opera will conclude with the round table discussion "Puccini from the 21st Century," scheduled for April 17 at 6:30 p.m.

For more information visit www.lesarts.com